distortion and overdrive

This tip comes from Tim Lillis an artist who does a "Tricks of the Trade" comic in each issue of MAKE magazine. He's sharing some of these tricks of the trade comics on his Flickr pages.

Form follows function with this DIY fuzzy fuzz pedal. You can make one too by following this step by step guide . Everything is explained in detail, down to the circuit layout.

You could get a similar effect by putting your RAT distortion pedal in an old sock.

The orange Boss DS-1 distortion pedal has been around since 1978. With one tone knob, one level knob, and a distortion knob, it can produce sounds ranging from a thin, light distortion up to a heavier harsher sound.

These guitar effects pedal cushions are made by Gwendolin Tägertof of Soft-Machines. You can buy the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi for 120 Euros or the RAT distortion for 99 Euros.

When Electro-Harmonix found out about these, instead of threatening to sue Ms Tägertof, they offered her a formal license in exchange for an option to buy them at a discount.

In the early 1960s the Unicord Corporation, a manufacturer of electronic transformers purchased the Amplifier Corporation of America of Westbury, New York. They began marketing a line of amplifiers under the brand name of Univox. The company was purchased by Gulf + Western in 1967. Guitar making operations moved to Japan in 1975 where they continued making guitars until 1982.

Tremolo has a number of meanings for the guitarist. Tremolo bridges (like in a Fender strat.) allow you to wobble the pitch of a note. In some amplifiiers (and effects pedals) you also have a tremolo effect which varies the volume to give you a wobbly noise reminiscent of 50's and 60's guitar instrumental music (think of the guitar at the start of the Twin Peaks theme).

Build Your Own Clone sells a good range of guitar DIY guitar effects pedal kits, which are great for the inexperienced maker. Each kit is based on a famous effects pedal and comes with absolutely everything you need to build the pedal. Step by step instructions should make assembly a breeze.

This is a PCB (printed circuit board) layout for designed for fuzz face effects unit. The circuit is designed so you can tweak the cicuit to get different tones. It uses sockets you can easily swap components in and out of your fuzz face.

Effects pedals are a great introduction to the world of DIY guitar gear, because:

Jen Electtronica was a company in Pescara, Italy who made electronic musical items such as organs, wah-wah pedals, fuzz boxes and ring modulators in the 1970s and 1980s. Items were often distributed under different brand names including Vox, Jen, Gem, Elka, Crybaby and Gretch.

Pro Co Sound is a Michigan Corporation founded by Charlie Wicks in 1974. Pro Co builds audio cables and related products for Musical Instrument retailers (stores, catalog retailers and distributors) and Sound Contractors.

BOSS is the division of Roland Corporation most easily recognized for its line of colorful guitar and bass effects pedals.

For over 25 years BOSS has also developed innovative multi-effects, rhythm machines, personal digital studios and other easy-to-use instruments for musicians of all types.

Z.Vex is the brandname for effects and amplifiers made by Zachary Vex. His effects have the hand-made boutique look about them, and he is the guy responsible for the world's smallest tube amp. Watch out though there are some Z.Vex fakes out there .

Two brothers Kim and John Rishøj founded TC Electronic in 1976 in Risskov, Denmark. For several years they made guitar effects pedals before moving into the rack-mounted product area. They currently produce a wide range of guitar effects.